Warriors #1 - The Phantom Menace (currently editing!)

Senator Pebblepatch

Hazelpaw didn't sleep while they were on the back of Blueflash last night. How could he, after the anxiety he got when the rogue attacked?

Resisting the urge to curl up on Blueflash's soft feathers, he touched Sagepelt's forehead with a soft paw, checking if the knight was still alive.

The scorched claw marks were healing, and he sighed with relief that no infection was growing in the wounds.

He knew such things because of his dear friend Lotuspaw, Seersight's apprentice.

She would teach him basic healing skills and herbs for various diseases from time to time while hanging out around the pond full of water lilies.

A pang of homesickness gripped his heart at the thought.

Hazelpaw shook his head; now was not the time to think about her when they had a mission to retake clan Mossflower and other important things to do.

Heatherstar yawned hugely, struggling to stay awake as she was the pilot of their bird, Blueflash. She had once told him that the Jarra would randomly perch on a tree or chase after hares if there was no one to control him in the sky.

"Should I change places with you?" Hazelpaw asked the queen.

"He's trained to only obey the paws of Mossflower cats," Heatherstar replied drowsily, patting the bird's neck sharply when Blueflash tried to fly after a wolf skulking in the forest.

"Doesn't matter." the she-cat stretched, shaking the sleep out of her body.

"We're almost there at the banks of Heartstring River."

"How's Skykit and Sagepelt doing?"

Hazelpaw glanced back and found Skykit burrowed into Sagepelt's warm fur.

"They look so comfortable." he purred with laughter. Heatherstar, hearing Hazelpaw's amused mew, looked back, and she too, couldn't help but let a smile appear on her muzzle.

It had been hot where Skykit was from, and he wasn't used to the cold atmosphere.

In the distance, the first streaks of dawn appeared, warming the clearing.

Heatherstar let the warmth soak in her body; it comforted her for a while, yet melted away when the fact that she had to fight again hovered over her mind like a storm cloud she couldn't get rid of.

'What kind of leader are you?' the storm rumbled scornfully.

'Losing the majority of the clan.'

'No.' the sun hidden beneath the clouds growled.

'I can make this right, and next time, I'll be prepared.'

'But, what if there won't be a next time?' thunder roared, drowning out the sun's protests.

'What if it's too late?'

'What if you lose in the debate?'

Heatherstar's claws slid out and scratched the bird's back in despair and self-anger.

Blueflash swiftly jerked his head to nip her sharply.

"Ow!"

"Sorry. My fault."

She patted Blueflash, and the Jarra swooped down toward the river that stretched on endlessly.

The forest around Heartstring River was inhabited by cats, mostly loners and native villagers.

A skystreaker signaled them to land at a sandy hollow, while another cat yowled out for the other birds to back off.